Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-28
LECTURES TO FARMERS.
Opening of the University Course, Yester-
day-Paper by A. w. Cheever


The seasons course of lectures to farm
trs, given by the University of Vermont
and State Agricultural college, opened
yesterday, with very valuable and in
structive paper by A. w, Cheever of Bos
ton, editor of the NClD England Farmer.
The lecture was given in the auditorium
of the medical college building, and was
very well attended, in spite of the recent
severe weather and bad condition of the
roads Representative farmers from all
the surrounding section and from various
parts of the State were present. The
course of lectures was very pleasantly in
troduced by President Buckham of the
University, who said that some people
might he disposed to make merry over the
idea of farmers coming into the city of
Burlington in the dead of winter to study
agriculture Nature too, he added seems
to have put little irony upon u.s. by send
ing out her tiercest winds and piling up
Ter biggest drifts. But really natures
opposition is Il prOvOcatiOn to enterprise
Man Is least enterprislng where nature is
most lavish of her gifts. We accept, then,
natures challenge as provoCatlOn to do
our best in the five weeks of study before
us. Now just what is II that we undertake
to do in this course of lectures The art of
farming is connected with II great many
Sciences and heintelligent farmer should
make u beginning, at least. IN the scienccs
which relate to his work. No art draws on
so many sciences rs agriculture. | am
struck, IN looking at the programme be
fore us, to see how many sciences are rep
resented-botany chemistry, mechanics,
entomology aud medicine. Elementary
knowledge in these branches OF science
is not a "smatteriug"-it is a fair intro
duCtion to the subject, and an induCement
to pursue it further Is there anything
practical about this There is a prejudice
against the term book farming Let US
call it mind-farming instead. As intelii-
cent men we propose to work with our
minds as well as with our hands. There
Will be brought into this meeting pract-
cally and really some 50 farms, towhich
what we learn here Will he applied. In
the winter study and investigation take
the precedence OF practice. | have heard
that Il certain New England agricultural
journal used to print at its head this
motto in the winter, The cultivation Of
the mind ami the soil" and in the sum
mer the motto was reversed: the cul-
tivation OF the soil and the mind" Mr.
Cheever Will be able to tell you whether
this is still so.
President Buckham then introduced the
speaker of the afternoon, Mr. A. W.
Gneever, editor of the NeD Engldhd
Farmer, as gentleman who had so often
been III Vermont aud had SO identified
himself with her interests that the speak
er had supposed until to day that he was
a NermOuter born.
In response Mr.. Cheever wittily said
that his feelings in regard to Vermont
might be expressed as certain politician s
were who had changed parties, and
claimed that he should have special credit
for having become "A republican by con.
Nip ruf hon hu h1rh irtb 4
said that he was Nermonter by convic-
ton. II not by birth.